RSSL creates the first network to speed up the development of new foods
NFX UK will be a collaborative environment dedicated to accelerating innovation and advancing regulatory science across the novel foods sector.
The UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK, has awarded funds to RSSL, a renowned contract research firm for food and life sciences, to create the nation’s first Novel Foods Expert Network for Regulatory Challenges (NFX UK).
NFX UK, which was created in association with Imperial College London and The Supplant Company, will promote creativity and teamwork in the novel foods industry and act as a trailblazing platform to hasten the creation and commercialisation of new food items and technology.
NFX UK will also play a central role in supporting the UK government in its vision of establishing more transparent and streamlined regulatory processes for novel foods. This will be essential to help the UK become a global leader in novel foods research, design, and delivery, as well as facilitate the swift market entry of ground-breaking solutions.
To help achieve its mission of driving novel food innovation, NFX UK stated its three main objectives as:
- Act as a central hub for learning resources: Collation and development of central resources. Providing access for the industry to regulatory science tools to enable a clearer understanding of regulatory processes, data requirements, risk, and safety assessments for novel food ingredients.
- Promote connections for novel foods innovators: Facilitating collaborations across the sector, between analytical and technology organisations, scale-up and manufacturing facilities, consultants, and research institutions.
- Foster positive exchange with regulatory authorities: Offering insights into industry challenges and emerging technologies to help inform decision making for agile and proportionate regulation in response to innovation.
By bringing together food companies, service providers, academics, and regulators, NFX UK will create a collaborative environment to advance regulatory science in the novel foods sector. NFX UK will provide dedicated resources, training, and guidance to ensure novel foods are brought to market safely, efficiently, and responsibly.
Jacinta George, managing director & VP at RSSL, noted the pride which lead to the creation of NFX UK.
“At RSSL, we recognise the transformative potential of novel food innovation and are excited to support the vital cross-sector collaborations necessary to accelerate the delivery of more cost-effective, sustainable, and healthy food options,” George said.
Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, director of Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and Microbial Food Hub at Imperial College London, said: “We are thrilled to start this project to support companies in the alternative protein and novel food space navigate regulation. This partnership fully aligns with our goals of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein and the Microbial Food Hub at Imperial College London and we are very thankful to Innovate UK for their support.”
Dr. Tom Simmons, CEO of The Supplant Company, added: “We at The Supplant Company are thrilled to be part of this project and believe that the network will provide invaluable resources to help companies navigate the requirements for novel foods applications.”
